Death of Osama bin Laden

The death of Osama bin Laden has caused me to reflect on the events of September 11, 2001. My September 11 experience was somewhat unique. I was in Atlanta, Georgia that day on a business trip. I was scheduled to fly back to Los Angeles on September 11. My memories of that day are very clear. I was in a training class at an Atlanta area hotel. During a break in the morning, I found myself transfixed by the images of the burning World Trade Center. The announcement also came that all flights nationwide were being grounded indefinitely. I immediately called my wife and told her to turn on the television. She asked why. I told her it would be clear as soon as the TV came on.

It was left to my wife to have to explain to our then six-year-old triplets what was happening and to tell them that daddy might not come home for a while. The image of the planes striking the World Trade Center was seared into all our minds. This was a harsh way for my children to learn that the world was a very dangerous place. My wife did a wonderful job in calming their fears and keeping her own fears in check.

I was fortunate that I had a hotel in Atlanta to stay in. I even had a rental car. This gave me the option of trying to drive back to California. However, I knew that would take me at least four days. Instead, I decided just to wait for flights to resume. Just two days later, on September 13, flights resumed. I was on the first flight out of Atlanta to Los Angeles. The scene at Atlanta airport was surreal to me. There were armed soldiers all over the place. They were randomly stopping passengers and questioning them. When I finally got on the flight, it was 10 PM Atlanta time. Normally on a flight that leaves so late, most passengers will sleep during the flight. But on this flight, it seemed that everyone stayed awake. I certainly was looking around for anyone who looked suspicious and I think most of the other passengers were doing the same thing.

I finally got home after 2 a.m. California time. My wife did not know I had gotten onto a flight, so she was very surprised when I came home. We held each other tight for what seemed like forever. The next morning, I woke up early so I could hold each of my children tight.

I explained to each of my three children what had been happening. This wasn't quite the way I wanted to explain to them the injustice of the world. I came home safe and sound and our family was together again. But to my children, I think there was a loss of innocence and there was no way to get that back.

So to me, the death of Osama bin Laden brings a little bit of closure. To my children, perhaps they will feel just a little less fearful and a little more optimistic about the world.